Trial of Marius Borg Høiby Begins as Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s Epstein Ties Resurface

The criminal trial of Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, gets underway in Oslo as Norway’s royal family faces an unprecedented convergence of legal and reputational pressure.

Høiby, 29, is due before the Oslo District Court on a sweeping charge sheet that includes 38 alleged offences, among them four counts of rape, along with allegations of assault, domestic abuse, drug offences and restraining order violations. Prosecutors say the case grew from a single domestic incident in August 2024 into a far broader investigation as additional alleged victims came forward. Høiby has denied the most serious accusations and says he will give his account during the seven-week trial.

As proceedings begin, renewed scrutiny is also falling on the Crown Princess herself following the release of United States justice department files detailing past contact between Mette-Marit and Jeffrey Epstein. The documents show years of email exchanges and confirm that she stayed at Epstein’s Palm Beach home in 2013. While no criminal wrongdoing is alleged, the revelations have reignited questions about judgment and associations at the highest levels of Norway’s monarchy.
Mette-Marit has publicly acknowledged what she called “poor judgment,” expressed regret for the contact, and voiced sympathy with Epstein’s victims. Crown Prince Haakon has sought to draw a firm line between the institution and his stepson, stressing that Høiby is not a member of the royal house and will be treated like any other citizen under the rule of law.

With the trial now underway and fresh attention on past royal connections to Epstein, the case has become the most serious test of Norway’s modern monarchy in decades, unsettling a country where public support for the royal family has traditionally remained strong.

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